The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-05
CUMMINGS NERVE.
HIS Successful Game Of Bluff at Kansas CITY
Fozr Days After the Robbery.
While Drinking with Three Policemen He
Tells Them Fae il the Man That Commit
ted the Adams Express Robbery.

s.. LOUIS, Jan. PRED Wittrock, alias
Jim Cummings the head of the gang that
rob bed the Adams Express car on the Frisco
Railroad on October %, is the most unfortu-
nate person who ever engaged in the bust
ness of train robbing. Ill luck befel him
from the very start. AS be has stated to the
authorities, Weaver started to go back on
him full three days before he finally deserted
him entirely. Six DAYS before the robbery
was to have taken place Viewers appetite
departed. For three days Cummings kept
him up on crackers and water, and, finding
his courage had evapOrated, interpOsed no
objection to his leaving for Chicago. The
agreement was that if Weaver failed Height
was to come in to the assistance OF Cum
mines. In accordance with this agreement,
Cummings sent Hsight word of his predica-
ment, and called on him to come on. To
his disgust, Haight replied that his baby was
sick and he could not leave. Cummings
was not the man to give up after be had put
in 80 much time and arranged all his plans
so be went ahead, with the success already
known.
The same determination and readiness for
any occasion, which Mr.. Pinkerton says he
bar seen in but few men, availed him at
Kansas City. He arrived there on October
%, four days after the robbery, and, with
Cook, went to q saloon and restaurant for
lunch. They had scarcely taken a seat at
table when policeman entered. The vallse
with the SIS, coo and $40, 600 in papers and
va uables, was IN plain view under the table
al am gone" whispered Cummings
The policeman looked around careleSsly,
eyed the two men, and a moment later was
joined by a second policeman.
THAT settles It, it's a. up" Cummings
remarked to Cook.
At the same time he rose from the table
walked over to the bar and invited the Of
fcers to have drink. They accepted. Then
he invited them to take seat and have an
oyster stew with him. They consented again,
and DISPOSED of two full Stews. Finally the
-xArtv was ready to leave the restaurant bpt
thew wers stu seated.
lyon seem 10 Dc lush" said one of the
officers.
"Why shouldn't be? am the man that
robbed the Adams express car" replied
Cummings.
The laugh went round, the party separ-
ated, and Cummings congratulated himself
ON the success of his bluff.
The detectives have noticed the same spirit
all the way through. When Cummings was
arrested in Chicago, and when the question
of turning up the money came up for con-
sideration, Cummings made bold stand for
terms for his friends, including Haight,
Cook, Weaver and those to whom he had
given money and who became cogniZ7nt of
where 1T came from. he never asked terms
for himself, but seemed utterly regardless Of
consequences so far as he himself was con-
CtIl6Q. Inc OLAcI sue vi lis udbuIc, dLu
entirely in harmony with this one was dis
| played when he reached his mothers home
In Leavenworth. Mr.. Pinkerton says he
never saw such an affecting scene. His
mother clasped him about the neck, his two
| sisters by his arms and his aunt around the
| legs. He wept as freely as they but between
his sobs endeavored to quiet them by assuring
| them that it was not so bad as it looked.
. Then on the train, in their numerous trips,
and en- route from Kansas City to this city,
the same man showed uppermOst-a creature
strong enough to suit himself to circum-
stances. At Sedalia there was delay of an
hour, and the entire party went into res
taurant, laughing, chatting, eating and smok-
ing, all as pleasure party. No one would
have imagined that one was a prisoner aud
the Others his guardians. On the train the
party had q drawing-room to itself. 0per.
stives Walbasky and Kearney, who had di-
rect charge of him, are both good vocalists
and enlivened the time with a number OF
songs. Cummings himself is good singer,
and joins in heartily on everything. He
took considerable pleasure in singing ''The
Rock Island Line" and "a Man You DOn't
Meet Every Day" AS the train nesred St
Louis he changed slightly, but was still in
good spirits